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Computers & Business Machines

Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.

The Museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Other artifacts range from personal computers to ENIAC, the Altair, and the Osborne 1. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers

This scientific handheld electronic calculator is has a black plastic case with an array of forty small rectangular plastic keys. The ten digit keys, decimal point key, and change sign key are white. The total key and the four arithmetic function keys are gold. The brown keys include keys for reciprocals, squares, square roots, off, on/clear, inverse functions, sines, cosines, tangents, degrees, constant, enter exponent, common logarithms, natural logarithms, powers, pi, percentage, left parenthesis, and right parenthesis. The remaining brown keys are storage, recall, summation, and exchange.

Text above the keys reads: SR-40. Text behind this reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. Behind the keyboard is an LED display that shows eight-digit positive and negative numbers and two-digit positive and negative exponents.

The calculator has a jack for a recharger/adapter along the right edge.Text on the back reads in part: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator. It also gives the serial number 709159 and a date mark: LTA1277. It also reads: ASSEMBLED IN USA. Below these marks is a compartment for a TI battery pack BP-7. According to the instructions, the batteries in the battery pack could be recharged using an AC adapter/charger AC9131.

There are no screws for disassembling the calculator.

The calculator comes in a black plastic, cloth-lined, zippered carrying case with belt loop. Also in the case is a manual with the title Texas Instruments electronic slide-rule calculator SR-40 Owner’s Manual. The name Guy E. Richardson has been blacked out.

This handheld scientific electronic calculator has a black plastic case and forty small rectangular plastic keys arranged in eight rows. In addition to ten digit keys, a decimal point key, and a change sign key (all off-white), the calculator has a total key and four arithmetic function keys (all gold). The remaining keys are brown. Pushing the “2nd” key allows keys to serve a “dual function,” which is denoted by text above the keys. The calculator provides a wide variety of statistical, trigonometric, hyperbolic, logarithmic and exponential functions, as well as conversions of units of measure. The calculator has limited programming capabilities.

A mark at the top of the keyboard reads: TI-55. Text behind the display reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. Next to this is an on/off switch. Behind this is an LED display that shows eight positive or negative digits of the result as well as powers of ten from -99 to +99.

A jack for a power supply is along the right edge.

Text on the back of the calculator reads in part: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator (/) SERIAL NO. (/) 99042531. It has the date mark: LTA1278. It also reads in part: ASSEMBLED IN USA. Below the marks is a compartment that holds a battery pack. Text on it reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS BATTERY PACK BP-5. There are no screws on the back of the case and the chips are not visible.

The calculator has a black zippered plastic case with a carrying loop.

An April 1978 newspaper advertisement described the TI-55 as a “new” calculator “with all the functions and features of the popular SR-51 II, plus a 32-step program memory.” It gave a list price of $59.95 and a sale price of $49.95. By September 1978, the SR-55 was advertised as a less expensive alternative to the TI-58 and TI-59. By 1982 TI had released the TI-55-II.

This simple handheld electronic calculator has a black plastic case, metal keyboard with silver-colored trim, and rectangular plastic keys. The twenty keys include ten digit keys, a decimal point key, a total key, four arithmetic function keys, a percent key, a change sign key, an off key, and an on/clear entry/clear key. A mark behind the keyboard reads: TI-1000. Behind this is an eight-digit LED display. A mark behind it reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. The power jack is on the right side.

The back of the calculator has a compartment for a nine-volt battery at the center. The cover for the compartment is marked on the inside: 2 (/) 1015633. A mark above the compartment reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator. Below the compartment is a space for a serial number but no serial number. A mark reads: LTA5078 (/) ASSEMBLED IN USA.

The calculator comes in a cardboard box. A mark on it reads in part: 1977 Texas Instruments Incorporated.

Compare 1986.0988.052. According to the online Datamath Museum, TI-1000 calculators with silver-colored trim on the keyboard were made after those with gold-colored trim.

This simple handheld electronic calculator has a black plastic case, metal keyboard with gold-colored trim, and rectangular plastic keys. The twenty keys include ten digit keys, a decimal point key, a total key, four arithmetic function keys, a percent key, a change sign key, an off key and an on/clear entry/clear key. A mark behind the keyboard reads TI-1000. Behind this is an eight-digit LED display. A mark behind it reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. The power jack is on the right side.

The back of the calculator has a compartment for a nine-volt battery at the center. The cover for the compartment is marked on the inside: 2 (/) 1015633. A mark above the compartment reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator. Below the compartment is a space for a serial number but no serial number. A mark reads: LTA1978 (/) ASSEMBLED IN USA.

The calculator comes in a cardboard box. A mark on it reads in part: 1977 Texas Instruments Incorporated. Another mark on the box reads in pen: Gift FROM MY SISTER (/) ON TRIP TO Dallas (/) 24 APRIL, 1981. (/) J B Priser. A sticker on one end of the box reads: GROCERY (/) 1069¢.

Also in the box is an instruction leaflet entitled Texas Instrument TI-1000.

Compare 1986.0988.051. According to the online Datamath Museum, TI-1000 calculators with silver-colored trim on the keyboard were made after those with gold-colored trim.

This handheld electronic calculator has a black plastic case and a metal keyboard. It has an array of twenty-four rectangular black plastic keys. The meaning of the keys is indicated on the keyboard. There are ten digit keys a decimal point key, a total key, four arithmetic function keys, a clear key, a clear entry key, a change sign key, and a percentage key. Above these is a row of four memory keys. The on/off switch is on the left edge. A mark above the keyboard on the left reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. Behind the keyboard is an eight-digit LED display. A mark below the keys reads: TI-1250.

A jack for a power outlet is along the back edge. A sticker on the back reads: US PAT 3819921 AND OTHER PATS PENDING (/) TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) Serial No. A 2197367. The sticker indicates that the calculator should be recharged using an AC9180 adapter/charger. It also reads in part: ASSEMBLED IN USA. Below the sticker is a compartment for a nine-volt battery. A mark below it reads: 0777 LTA.

Compare this calculator to the TI-1400 (1986.0988.195). The latter lacks memory keys. Also compare the TI-1265 (1986.0988.193). It has the same keys, but different coloring of the keyboard and a different type of display.

This handheld electronic calculator is similar to the TI Business Analyst II. It has a black plastic case with an array of forty small brown rectangular plastic keys. The function of the keys is indicated on the keyboard. In addition to ten digit keys, a decimal point key, and a change sign key, the calculator has a total key and four arithmetic function keys. Other keys are for on/clear, off, and "2nd" (pushed to activate the “dual function” indicated on the keyboard below most of the function keys). The calculator has a variety of statistical, business, and mathematical functions, and limited memory.

Text above the keys reads: TI Money Manager. Text behind this reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. Behind this is an eight-digit LED display. The jack for a charger/adapter is on the right side of the calculator.

Text on the back of the calculator reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator (/) SERIAL NO. (/) 054123 LTA 5077 (/) ASSEMBLED IN USA. A sticker on the battery compartment indicates that the calculator was sold by T. K. Enterprises in Lawndale, California. The compartment itself is designed for a nine-volt battery.

There are no screws to easily take apart the calculator. The device has a black plastic zippered case with a loop.

Compare the TI Business Analyst II (1986.0988.087) and the TI-30 (1986.0988.348). Ball & Flamm give a 1977 price of $16.95.

This handheld electronic calculator is similar to those of the TI SR-51 family. It has a black plastic case with an array of forty small rectangular plastic keys. In addition to ten digit keys, a decimal point key, and a change sign key (all in white), the calculator has a total key and four arithmetic function keys (all in gold). The remaining keys are brown. One is for on/clear, one is for off, and another, marked "2nd," is pushed to activate the “dual function” indicated on the keyboard above most of the brown keys. The calculator has a variety of statistical, business, and mathematical functions, and limited memory.

Text above the keys reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) TI Business Analyst. Behind this is an eight-digit LED display. The jack for a charger/adapter is on the right side of the calculator.

Text on the back of the calculator (there is no sticker) reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator (/) SERIAL NO. (/) 9818968 LTA4976 (/) ASSEMBLED IN USA. An empty battery pack inside the middle of the back is marked: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS BATTERY PACK BP-7.

There are no screws to easily take apart the calculator. The device has a black plastic zippered case with a loop.

References:

[Advertisement], New York Times, October 19, 1976, p. 130. List calculator as selling for $42.

Introduced by Texas Instruments in 1977 and advertised through at least 1981, this educational toy sought to teach arithmetic to children seven years old and up. The device has a gray plastic case, designed to resemble a robot, with an array of twenty-four orange plastic keys of differing shape. These include ten digit keys, four arithmetic function keys, an equals key, a memory bank keys, an on key, an off key, and keys for various games. Games available are “Electro Flash” (for practicing mathematical tables), “Wipe Out” (for competing at solving arithmetic problems rapidly), Number Guesser (for guessing a number selected by the calculator), Force Out (for subtracting numbers – to avoid being the one who arrives at zero), and Missing Numbers (to enter unknowns in equations). A display that could flash at appropriate times is behind the keyboard.

The back of the instrument has a compartment for a nine-volt battery. Text above this reads in part: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator.” The space for a serial number is blank. The date code is 2978. Text below this reads: ASSEMBLED IN EL SALVADOR.

Kallan, Carla, “Electronic Games People Play: toy outlets reflect the arrival of the computer age,” Los Angeles Times, December 11, 1979, p. H1. Dataman among the educational games mentioned. Price given as $25.

This handheld electronic calculator has a black plastic case and a metal keyboard. It has an array of nineteen rectangular black plastic keys. These includes ten digit keys, a decimal point key, a total key, four arithmetic function keys, a clear key, a clear entry key, and a percentage key. The on/off switch is on the left edge. A mark above the keys reads: TI-1200.

A mark above the keyboard on the left reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. Behind the keyboard is an eight-digit LED display.

A jack for a power outlet is along the back edge. A sticker on the back reads: US PAT 3819921 AND OTHER PATS PENDING (/) TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) TI-1200 (/) Serial No. 2583849. The sticker indicates that the calculator should be recharged using an AC9180 adapter/charger. It also reads in part: ASSEMBLED IN USA. Below the sticker is a compartment for a nine-volt battery. A mark below it reads: 3276 LTA.

Unscrewing four screws in the back reveals the display and a chip. A mark on the chip reads: TMS0972NL (/) ZA0348. This is a TMS0972 chip.

The calculator comes in a cardboard box. The box has prices listed on it of 12.76, $10.50., and 7.99. A slip in the box describes the terms of the Texas Instruments warranty, effective June 13, 1976.

This compact, light desktop printing electronic calculator has an array of nine light gray digit keys at the center, with a zero bar and decimal point key below this. On the left are clear, percentage, division, multiplication, and equals keys. On the right are total, #/S, subtraction, and addition keys. Above the digit keys are memory, F/A, and arrow keys. Behind the keys is a paper tape to print entries and results on special thermosensitive paper. This is the only display of entries and results.

A mark behind the printer reads: TI-5050M. A mark at the front reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. A mark on the bottom reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator (/) MODEL TI-5050M (/) SERIAL NO. (/) 9418428 MTA5078 (/) ASSEMBLED IN USA. Below this is a list of patent numbers that range from 3,819,921 to 4,014,013. The dates of these patents range from 1974 to 1977.

Ball and Flamm indicate that the TI-5050M was available in 1976. In 1977 the calculator reportedly sold for $149.95. In 1980, it was advertised as costing $79.95. The second part of the serial number suggests a 1978 date.